About me

I work in a non-judgemental way offering a calm and thoughtful space to explore your concerns and current difficulties with you. I work within the ethical framework of the UKCP respecting confidentiality at all times but am willing to liaise with other professionals involved with you should you wish this.

My core training is in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy but my approach is eclectic which enables a flexible approach depending on individual needs and goals. Since my training I am constantly exploring new ways of thinking and working in order to better serve the needs of my clients. I favour a collaborative way of working where you are at the centre of finding out what your needs and goals are and where we can work together to challenge ways of being that are no longer serving you.

I would aim to facilitate a curiosity and insight into your internal world, identifying past and present ways of relating that are unhelpful to you in your external life. Many such patterns are unconscious and have a long history and I would hope to help you uncover and understand your own individual patterns of thinking, feeling and relating.

I trained as a Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist within therapeutic communities in London after a long career as a Mental Health Nurse. Although the psychiatric system can at times provide a safe haven I found that the limited and under resourced services I was working within afforded little time to relate to people as individuals with specific and unique backgrounds. I therefore decided to train as a psychotherapist so I could offer more open ended time in a private, less clinical setting.

My training and subsequent work within therapeutic communities held a premise that emotional and mental distress as well as self destructive thoughts and feelings can be talked and thought about with the belief that they are survivable and able to be lived with and managed in a less harmful and therefore more productive and life enabling way.

Much of my work with people takes on this view point and at the very least I would hope to be able to help someone find ways of living with what disturbs and inhibits them the most in order to give room for more creativity and autonomy within their lives.

I see people for between six months and five years (occasionally longer) and from between one and three sessions per week.

The initial consultation may take the form of an assessment of up to three meetings where I will ask more questions than in a usual session. My aim will be to get a sense of what has brought you to therapy at this time, a brief personal history including social, medical, current risk factors and support network. For other people, the reason they wish to start therapy is unclear and so the 'work' of the sessions seems to start immediately, taking on an open ended arrangement that is reviewed on a six monthly or yearly basis.

It is very important that the person you decide to see for therapy is a 'good fit' for you and your needs and so if we feel I am not quite the right practitioner for you I will help you explore what the best approach for you may be. I will also endeavour to refer you on to a more suitable therapist by putting you in touch with the Oxford Therapy and Self Development Service (OTS), OTS Oxford Therapy Centre from where I practice. There is also an OTS base in Witney if that is nearer for you.

OTS is an assessment, referral and self-development service comprising a group of practitioners of varying modalities in order to provide a broad spectrum of therapy and counselling with the aim of meeting the individual needs of clients.

OTS offers assessments specifically with the aim of placing you with the most suitable practitioner for you and your concerns and needs.

Training, qualifications & experience

BA Social Policy and Sociology, Nottingham.

Dip He Mental Health Nursing- lapsed in 2016

Certificate in Psychoanalytic Psychotherapy (six year training)

Short Courses in CBT, addiction and drug use, HIV, dissociative disorders and Dissociative Identity Disorder, working with sexual abuse and self harm.

Yoga

Meditation practice

Member of OTS- Oxfordshire Therapy and Self-Development Service

I am a Psychoanalytic Psychotherapist (UKCP) trained at the Arbours Association in North London. I started my training whilst living as a 'Resident Therapist' at the Arbours Crisis Centre, a psycho-therapeutic community for people with long term mental health and emotional difficulties.

As well as offering individual psychotherapy, I am one of the team of therapists at a small specialist clinic in North London specifically for those living with dissociation and DID (Dissociative Identity Disorder). This service is primarily for people who have suffered severe trauma and abuse during early childhood and often into adulthood.

I also offer short term work of up to 16 sessions as part of an Employment Assistance Programme offering solution focused therapy to people whose working life has been affected by a specific life event. These sessions are more about life balance, self care and coping strategies as well as onward referral if necessary.

I also work as a freelance writer for a London University as well as providing some therapeutic support work in the local community.

Therapies offered

Fees

My standard fee is £50. I am willing to negotiate a lower fee if you decide to take on more than one session per week. I do run three low cost places from between £20 and £35 but currently these are all full

Further information

Areas of Competence

Personality problems and difficulty in relating to self and others Depression including Bipolar DisorderLow self worth, destructive feelings and feelings of hopelessnessLong term unemployment and underachievementDissociation and depersonalisationLoss and TraumaAddictive behaviour patternsFear, anxiety and feelings of guilt and shameAnger and loneliness

I practice within two therapy centres of private practitioners in OX2 and OX4 as well as at Witney Therapy Centre, Witney on Thursday mornings.